Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. (Feb. 17-19, 2022) - The North Central College men's and women's swim teams topped off their 2021-2022 seasons with a flurry of season-best efforts at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships to finish seventh overall on both sides. 

On the men's side, the 200-yard-medley relay of Ben Laurich, Nicholas Domschke, Gavin Sheehan, and Maciej Sporna turned in the highest place finish of the championships in sixth with a time of 1:52.43. The 200-yard-freestyle relay of Laurich, Devin Sheehan, G. Sheehan, and Sporna (1:40.60), 400-yard-free relay of Domschke, G. Sheehan, Laurich, and Sporna (3:43.85), and the 800-yard-free relay of Laurich, D. Sheehan, Domschke, and G. Sheehan (8:42.18) all placed seventh. 

G. Sheehan turned in the highest individual place for the Cardinals in the 100-yard butterfly where he placed 14th with a double personal best in prelims (1:00.06) and in the finals (59.43). G. Sheehan also claimed personal bests in the 200-yard individual medley (2:16.82) placing 18th, and in the 200-yard butterfly (2:18.37) to place 20th. Also turning in double personal bests was D. Sheehan in the 200-yard breaststroke with a 2:52.74 in prelims followed by a 2:51.69 in finals to place 15th.

Laurich had his share of season-best efforts at the championships with a 22-second personal best in the 500-yard free (5:43.11) to place 25th and later finished 21st in the 200-yard-free with a seven-second personal best (2:03.76). Sporna earned personal bests in the 50-yard-free (24.34) placing 24th and in the 100-yard-free (54.54) to place 22nd. Domschke also saw a season-best in the 100-yard-free (57.81) to place 23rd and in the 200-yard-free (2:15.92) to finish 22nd.

On the women's side, the 400-yard-medley relay of Emily Miehlke, Abigail Anderson, Scarlett Schuth, and Taylin Lemke placed their highest of the championships in sixth (4:45.08). Four more relays turned in seventh-place finishes, the 200-yard-free relay of Amelia Woods, Lemke, Anderson, and Hailey Poe (1:50.12), the 200-yard medley of Miehlke, Anderson, Schuth, and Poe (2:05.57), the 800-yard-free relay of Miehlke, Lemke, Anderson and Poe (9:05.93), and the 400-yard-free relay of Anderson, Lemke, Woods, and Poe (4:06.09).

Anderson turned in the highest individual placing of 18th in the 100-yard-breaststroke (1:18.65) followed by 19th place finishes by Schuth in the same event (1:19.65) and in the 100-yard-butterfly (1:07.17). Personal best efforts came from Anderson in the 200-yard-individual medley (2:32.50) placing 27th and Poe in the 100-yard-free (58.56) to place 25th.

Lemke had her share of personal best efforts in the 500-yard-free (6:05.32) to place 30th, in the 200-yard-free (2:18.18) to place 29th, and in the 100-yard-free (1:01.90) to finish 28th. Miehlke had a pair of season-best performances in the 500-yard-free (6:16.18) to place 32nd and in the 100-yard-backstroke (1:13.87) to place 24th. Woods brought a trio of personal best efforts to the championships in the 50-yard-free (27.48) to place 29th, in the 100-yard-butterfly (1:13.29) to place 22nd, and in the 100-yard-free (1:00.89) to place 27th. 

Augustana College won the conference championship on the men's side with 729 points followed by Illinois Wesleyan with 709 points. Carthage, Wheaton, Millikin, Carroll, and North Central rounded out the conference for the men.

Carthage was the champion on the women's side with 813.5 points followed by Wheaton with 807. Augustana, Illinois Wesleyan, Carroll, Millikin, and North Central finished out the conference for the women. 

Ben Laurich and Taylin Lemke were honored as North Central's recipients of the CCIW RESPECT Award Winners. This award honors a student-athlete from each varsity program at the conclusion of their season who have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution, and their community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture.

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